


Fallen Flame

by LiliesandSin



Category: The Lord of the Rings (Movies), The Lord of the Rings - All Media Types, The Lord of the Rings - J. R. R. Tolkien, The Silmarillion and other histories of Middle-Earth - J. R. R. Tolkien
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-02-04
Updated: 2019-02-04
Packaged: 2019-10-22 05:54:34
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,267
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17657168
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LiliesandSin/pseuds/LiliesandSin
Summary: ~A brief look at stories from the Quenta Silmarillion, the history of middle Earth, as written by Tolkien*Alternatively, an excuse to write from the perspective of Melkor, who was actually really cool, insofar as evil fictional gods go. I rarely finish my stories, so uhhhh.... I tried to keep this one kind of a one-off. I'll probably write more in the next week or so; I love Tolkien so much.





	Fallen Flame

_I am Theririel, daughter of Iminye, oldest of the Calaquendi._

_I was born before the Age before ages, long before even the sun and moon had been made._

_And I remember when the world was lit by the trees..._

_*_

"I need your help." Melkor said gently.The world around him was dark, and the cave before him darker. The only light came from the cold, white stars above.

The great spider stared at him from the entrance of her cave. She was half the size of a tree; her legs were long and sharp, and her eyes glinted in the silver light from above. She was perfectly still, but Melkor could see the tension in its many legs; he knew that if he wasn't careful, she would devour him.

Melkor wasn't afraid of her. Why should he fear? He was the Mighty One, created by Illuvatar himself, and he was destined to shake all of the created world.

Ungoliant began to speak. Despite himself, Melkor shivered slightly.

" **You wish for my help** **.** " The spider's voice was soft. She lifted a long leg and reached towards him to caress his cheek. " **Don't be afraid, Mighty One. Tell me.** "

Melkor knew he should be affronted. He was a _valar_. He was the _mighty_. But something in him was... not afraid, but also not foolish. Ungoliant was not to be trifled with.

She was the darkness manifest, as much as he was.

"I want you to help me darken the world," Melkor said. "I want you to help me kill the trees. I want to hurt the valar and the Quendi, as much as they have hurt me."

" **And what** ," whispered Ungoliant softly. " **Will you give me in return, _Mighty One_**?"

Melkor smiled. "Everything," he said. "With both hands, I will give you everything. You will eat until your hunger is sated, even if you should consume all of _Arda_ in doing so."

"And why?" Ungoliant whispered. "Why do you wish to do this evil deed?"

Melkor's smile faded. "For revenge, wicked one."

Ungoliant stared at Melkor. She didn't move. As Quendi reckoned time, the gaze would have lasted hours; however, for the timeless valar, time was barely worth noting.

 _ **"Very well, Mighty One**_." Her legs drummed against the earth once. Melkor didn't react, except to grip his speak more tightly. " ** _I will help you to destroy the trees."_**

*

The trees' branches were wide.

The trunks were wide like towers, and as tall as the mountains, and their branches extended across the sky. There were two trees, and they had been sung into being by Yavanna, the valar who loved growing things, and who Melkor hated.

The first tree was Laurelin, who glowed gold. She was the brightest of the two; her dew was collected for water, and her fruit had healing qualities. Her branches lit up the land that was Valinor, gently increasing and decreasing with light over the course of the day.

Her brother was Telperion. He grew flowers, not fruit, and his branches were gentle silver (though they lit up the land as well as his sister's). His light also increased and decreased, and he shared an hour of time with his sister, when the land would be lit by both gold and silver.

Below the branches lived the Quendi, the firstborn, within the realm known as Valinor. They were immortal, and young, and they loved the trees. And, perhaps because they were so young, they didn't bother to guard their realm, instead trusting in the light of the trees and the undying Valar to keep away any threats.

They were unafraid.

And that served Melkor well.

*

Ungoliant snuck the two of them into Valinor under a cloak of unlight, rendering the two of them invisible to any that might look. Valinor was bright; there were long fields of grains and grasses, tended to by the gentle hand of Yavanna. The branches above were almost painful to look at; their beauty was dazzling, and they _felt_ happy. Every so often, Melkor saw one of the Quendi; a tall, gentle people, that spent their time learning from the valar.

" **Why do you hate them.** " Ungoliant's voice was soft, like a gentle wind. She brushed up against Melkor, almost accidentally.

"I don't hate the Quendi." Melkor half pushed Ungoliant away. Her touch troubled him. "Or do you mean my siblings, the other valar?"

" **You hate them.** " Ungoliant brushed up against him again. " **You hate them. I can feel it.** "

"No," Melkor said. "I love them. I love life, Ungoliant." He looked sharply at her. "I love living things, enough to want to create them myself. But Illuvatar refused me the gift; He wouldn't allow me to create my own creatures. He wanted to keep control, to order things how _He_ wanted. I was resistant, and he punished me for it."

" **How unjust.** " Ungoliant almost sounded amused.

"No," Melkor said. "He only did as was his nature. Even as I do as is my nature. He is the Creator, and I am the shaper, even as my siblings are."

" **So you are not angry. You do not resent. You follow his plan for you? Which includes killing his trees?** " Ungoliant was laughing now. " **I do not believe that to be true."**

"It is within my nature to kill the trees," said Melkor. "And so, His plan must include their death. I bring entropy."

" **You are a fool.** " Ungoliant said. " **And you are lying. You are not following his plan. You are vicious, and angry, and you are weaving a web with the intention of killing your enemies. You are a killer.** "

"And what are you?" Melkor knew he shouldn't be annoyed, but despite himself, he could feel his anger rising.

Ungoliant drummed her legs. **"I am a spider.** "

"Is that all?" Melkor asked.

Ungoliant drummed her legs once more. " **That is all I will tell you. Take me to the trees.** "

*

It didn't take long for them to reach the trees. They were both glowing faintly; their light was combining gently across the low cut grass. Their branches were low enough to reach, and they bore golden fruit and silver flowers respectively; blooming and bright and ready to pick.

There was no one there to guard them. The Quendi trusted the world deeply and wholeheartedly. Melkor felt... strange about this particular act.

This was not an act that would inconvenience his equals, the valar. This would harm the Quendi, who were as yet uninvolved.

" **They are lovely**." Ungoliant stepped gently up to Laurelin. " **I will enjoy this greatly, Mighty One.** "

"Yes," Melkor said. He lifted his spear. It struck him that the trees were beautiful; that their branches were long and heavy with fruit and flowers; that perhaps it would be a great shame to kill them just yet- that surely there was time, and that anyway, the Quendi had done nothing to deserve this particular betrayal.

 **"NOW.** " Ungoliant's voice rose slightly.

Melkor closed his eyes, and he _stabbed_ Laurelin.

She screamed.

Her branches shook, and her leaves began to fall. She was weeping dew the way a Quendi would weep blood. Her body was cracked where the spear had struck her. Ungoliant hissed proudly, and she took Laurelin in her front legs, and she sank her manables deep into her, even as Melkor stabbed Telperion. The air was filled with leaves, with falling gold fruit, with silver leaves.

Laurelin's light faded, and Ungoliant leaped onto Telperion, long legs wrapping around his trunk

And then the great trees were dark.

*

And in the distance, Melkor heard his sister Yavanna scream.


End file.
